Refresh
A Recap from Sunday’s Sermon

Preaching Text: Mark 4:26-29, 1 Peter 3:13-18

When you think about sharing your faith or inviting someone to Alpha, what is your gut reaction? For many of us, this can feel vulnerable, uncomfortable, and a little scary because it opens us up to being rejected. So how can we be a non-anxious witness?

In our Mark passage, Jesus says that sowers (you and me) scatter seed (the Gospel) in soil (people). And Peter, one of the original hearers of this parable, writes to the church in 1 Peter 3:13-18 to “have no fear or be troubled.” He then describes how we can share our faith in a non-anxious way by being:

• Reliant (v. 15) – Our sharing with others always starts with deepening our own relationship and reliance upon Jesus
• Ready (v. 15) – We should be prepared with something to share. Some are wired to share evidence of the truth of Jesus (“make a defense”). Others are wired to be witnesses to share their own story (“the reason for the hope within us”)
• Respectful (v. 15) – We should always share with gentleness and respect
• Real (v. 16) – Don’t pretend to be a perfect Christian. Just model integrity in your life and vulnerability about your weaknesses/failures.
• Resilient (v. 17) – Sometimes when you share, it is God’s will that you be rejected and slandered. Don’t let one bad experience keep you from sharing the Good News

So why is it so important to share and invite? Last week, Kobe Bryant’s sudden death reminds us that we never know when we will die. And the gospel is our greatest hope in life and death. 1 Peter 3:19 tells us that because of Jesus’ suffering for our sins, the righteous (Jesus) for the unrighteous (us), Jesus brings us to God. If we turn to Jesus, we can stand before God in Christ’s righteousness. Not only that, but Jesus can bring hope now: true freedom, forgiveness, meaning, and love.

At the end of the parable in Mark 4:27-29, we see that we introduce the seed, but God produces the fruit. Our job is simply to invite as non-anxious witnesses. God’s job is to open people’s hearts to respond. 

Taking It Home:
Of the five things listed above, which one are you the strongest in? Which one might God be encouraging you to grow in this week? Alpha starts this Sunday. Step out, trust God, and invite the people on your heart.